No construction defects in Hague apartment building collapse; Explosion left 6 dead
An investigation by TNO into the Tarwekamp apartment complex in The Hague revealed no structural defects. The researchers did, however, reconstruct where the explosion occurred and how the building collapsed, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) reported on Thursday during the fifth preliminary hearing of the four suspects in the case.
Six people died, and five were injured in the large explosion on December 7, 2024. The attack was aimed at a bridal store on the ground floor of the building, owned by the ex-girlfriend of the main suspect, Moshtag B., 34.
The TNO inquiry played a key role after the defense argued that the building could have collapsed because of construction flaws, not the explosion. TNO has now conclusively determined that the structure was in proper condition.
The OM described the (preliminary) findings of the TNO report as “clear.” In the next few weeks, it expects a report from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), which also examined the explosion. Police are preparing a visual reconstruction of the events based on the reports, marking the conclusion of the investigation, the prosecution added.
The court plans to conduct the main hearings in November, which are expected to take seven to eight days. In the meantime, interim sessions are scheduled for May 11, July 2, and September 7.
The main suspect, Moshtag B., along with co-defendants Mourad B.T. (30) and Ilyas B. (24), faces charges including murder or manslaughter of six victims. Moshtag B. is additionally charged with stalking, assault, threats, and computer intrusion, following a complaint filed last year by his ex-girlfriend. Adil A. (34) is alleged by the prosecution to have assisted in preparing the attack.
Even though the substantive hearings are set for November 2026, the court ruled today at the fifth pro forma session that all suspects will continue to be held in custody.
